In the year 500 CE, Teotihuacan was the sixth-largest city on Earth. Home to at least 125,000 people, it was the first metropolis in the Americas, a sprawling grid of 20 square kilometres built at an altitude of 7,500 feet. Its central causeway, a grand avenue 40 metres wide, stretched for over 3 kilometres. For centuries, its power was absolute, built on a monopoly of green obsidian used for tools and weapons across Mesoamerica. But this great city was not destroyed by a foreign army. Its fall came from within. A combination of climate change and bitter class conflict triggered a targeted revolution, setting off a long period of decline that saw the population plummet over the next two centuries.
The Teotihuacan Collapse
Teotihuacan, the great city of ancient Mexico, and the fire and slow decline that ended it, which many archaeologists link to internal revolt and a colder climate.
Chapter 1
The City of the Gods
0:48
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Teotihuacan?
It was the first true metropolis in the Americas, peaking between 350-550 CE with at least 125,000 residents. Located near modern Mexico City, it was the sixth-largest city in the world at the time, comparable in scale to Constantinople.
Why did Teotihuacan collapse?
The collapse began around 550 CE due to internal factors. A global cooling event caused famines, which fueled a class-based revolt where the city's populace rose up and burned the temples and palaces of the elite.
Who named Teotihuacan?
The city's original name is unknown. The Aztecs rediscovered the abandoned city seven centuries after its collapse and gave it the name Teotihuacan, which means 'The Place Where Gods Were Born' in their Nahuatl language.
To continue the story, download the Chunks Microlearning app
Or get it straight away:
Download on iOS
Download on Android